Method for the mechanical tying of sausages and the like



y 1967 A. L. BARROSG 3,318,623

METHOD FOR THE MECHANICAL TYING OF SAUSAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 13 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ANGEL Low/V20 Emma BY May 1967 A. L. BARROSO 3,318,623

METHOD FOR THE MECHANICAL TYING OF SAUSAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

IN VEN TOR.

All/GEL ZOREA/ZO BARROSO BY United States Patent 6 Claims. (Cl. 289-15) The present invention relates to a process for the mechanical tying of sausages and similar articles, by means of which process important advantages are achieved not only with regard to the mechanisation of the operation but also with regard to the result of the operation itself, i.e. the tying effect achieved.

In fact, the knotting systems used hitherto for the tying of sausages and the like do not completely satisfy industrial requirements in as much as it frequently happens, that the gut, whether natural or artificial, is cut when the knot constricting the article is tightened for this reason, it is in most cases necessary, after such tying, to form a second knot in order that the sausages may be hung.

By means of the process which will be described in this text, a mode of tying is provided which is carried into effect mechanically and at considerable speed. This forms a knot which does not cut the gut and at the same time provides a loop suitable for suspending or hanging the article.

With the aid of the accompanying drawings, the fundamental phases of the tying process to which reference has been made will be disclosed.

FIG. 1 is a view in horizontal plan across a machine to carry out the method of the invention showing the feed cord, its means and the tray on which the sausages are laid.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the embodiment of the machine of FIG. 1, showing the sausage lying in the path of the cord.

FIG. 3 is a view in plan of part of the embodiment of FIG. 1. a

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a later stage of the wrapping of the cord about the sausage in which the needle is commencing the return movement to its starting position.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 at the moment that the knotting step is completed by the doubled portion of the cord loop being drawn by the hook of the needle.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the knot produced by the method of manipulation of the invention.

As will be seen from FIGURE 1, there is disclosed therein a machine carrying as its fundamental elements a feed means 8, a tray (pan) 9, a pair of implements which are disposed opposite each other and are formed by anchoring means and 11, one of the latter furthermore having a special needle 12.

The said feed means 8 is a species of cranked tube which rotates on its axis based on a support 13, the said tube carrying out with every movement a rotation amounting to somewhat more. than one turn or revolution and its travel alternating in one direction and the opposite direction so that during each travel the cord which emerges from the feed means is engaged about the two pairs of anchoring means 10 and 11 with the ends thereof intersecting. Thus, referring to the diagram of FIGURE 2, with the end 14 of the tying means or cord engaged in a pincer member 20, the feed means will have started from the position 17 in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in the drawing, engaging the cords successively on the anchoring means 11, 10', 10 and 11, the said ice cord intersecting itself at 18 and the feed means stopping at a point 19 corresponding to the starting point 17 but on the other side of the anchoring means 11. The next movement of the feed means will be in the opposite direction, the cord again being engaged about the anchoring means, forming the same intersection and stopping again at the starting point 17, and so on. In consequence of the travel of the feed means, the cord 15 forms a loop 16, being doubled on itself on the side opposite the intersection point of the ends 14 and 21.

Disposed on each side of the anchoring means 11 and 11 is a pincer member 20 and 2G in which the cord is engaged, and there is furthermore a cut er 22 and 22' respectively. On commencement of the travel of the feed means 8, the end 14 of the cord is engaged in one of the said pincer members, i.e. the one designated 20 in FIG- URE 2, whereas the other pincer means, designated 20', is completely open and does not close until, when the travel of the feed means has ended, the other end 21 of the cord 15 comes within its range, at which instant the said second pincer member automatically closes.

With the loop 16 of the cord 15 maintained between the anchoring means 10 and 11, it passes through the working surface and has on each side half of the tray 9 the purpose of which it is to receive the sausage or article 27 to be tied (FIGURE 2). Starting from this initial position and with the descent of the tray 9, the sausage 27 contacts the two sections of the cord 15 which form the loop 16 and begin to wrap themselves about it (FIGURE 3), due to the fact that the pair of anchoring means 10 and 10' which support the loop 16 advances towards the opposite pair 11 and 11. The advance of the said anchoring means 10 and 10 reaches the point at which the doubled portion of the loop 16 passes beyond the intersection 18 formed by the cord, the anchoring means 10, 10 carrying the said loop passing between the opposite anchoring means 11, 11'; then, the latter ascend, so that the intersection 18 is in a position which is higher than the remainder of the loop. When the needle 12 subsequently advances, the upper tongue 7 thereof impinges on the said intersection 18, engaging the latter in its throat 23 and producing the result that, as the advance of the needle is continued, the said tongue completes the lifting of the said intersection 18 as the tongue rocks about its articulation point 24. Finally, during the advance of the needle 12, the inclined front plane 25 thereof (FIGURE 3) dislodges the doubled portion 16 from its seating on the movable anchoring means 10, 10, so that it drops into the hook 26 of the needle, in such manner that when the latter commences the return movement (FIGURE 4), the doubled portion 16 of the cord 15 which is at a lower level than the intersection 18 completes its revolution on itself. It is drawn by the said needle 12 which continues its return travel between the inner vertex of the said intersection 18 and the lateral sections of the loop, thus tightening the knot (FIGURE 5), the ends 14 and 21 of the cord being retained by the pincer members 20 and 20' as the doubled portion of the loop 16 is drawn by the hook 26 of the needle 12.

At the instant at which the knotting step is completed, when the tray 9 has again risen in order to return to its initial position, one of the two cutters 22 and 22 disposed parallel to the pincer members 20 and 20 for retaining the cord cuts the ends thereof emerging from the feed means 8, so that the sausage may be removed, already tied, and a new cycle may be started. Then the feed means 8 automatically commences a new travel movement due to which the end of the cord is retained by the corresponding pincer member and a further loop is formed wit-h its ends intersecting.

The mechanically formed knot (FIGURE 6) has, primarily, the important advantage that the constricting ef- 3 feet thereof does not produce any intersection which could cut the gut.

Furthermore, the doubled portion of the loop 16 serves for suspending the sausage without it being necessary to provide any kind of supplementary knot.

The process has been discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings, and with reference to specific details of embodiment; this has been done in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Nevertheless, the practical carrying into eifect thereof could be effected with a wide range of variants in respect of the mechanical and driving arrangements and with regard to the other supplementary details, always provided that the essential character of the subject of the invention, as expressed in the following claims, is respected.

What I claim is:

1. Process for the mechanical tying of sausages or the like, characterised in that, after initially forming, with the corresponding tying section supplied by the feed means, a loop which doubles the said tying section on itself, with superposition cross-wise of the ends of its parallel strands, the portion of the sausage to be constricted is surrounded by the said loop and the two ends thereof are caused to approach each other, in sucha manner that the doubled end, passing through the outer vertex of the intersection of the strands, surrounds the centre of the latterand then passes through the centre of the inner vertex and through the lateral strands of the loop, so that when the said doubled end of the loop is drawn in the direction opposite to the knot being formed, the latter is tightened, gradually and gently constricting the portion of the sausage surrounded, the knot also remaining secured when the ends of the tying means are cut.

2. A method of mechanically tying a sausage casing or the like, comprising the steps of forming a cord into a loop, folding the loop over the casing and simultaneously crossing the free ends of the cord forming the loop while holding on to the loop and free ends, the free ends being folded back over the casing between the loop and the casing, passing the doubled loop between the free ends of the cord, reversing the direction of the doubled loop opposite to the knot being formed, leading the doubled loop between the free ends and the casing, then cutting the free ends of the cord; whereby the surrounded portion of the sausage casing is gradually and gently constricted, the knot remaining tight.

3. A method of mechanically tying a sausage casing or the like, according to claim 2 wherein the loop and free ends are held by two pairs of oppositely disposed anchoring means, one pair holding the closed loop and the other pair the free end of the cord, at least one pair of the anchoring means being displaceable toward the other pair, there also being a needle associated with the closed loop anchoring means, the needle when being advanced toward the other pair of anchoring means lifting the free ends at their crossing point over the closed loop, the needle having a throat gripping the loop behind the crossing point and drawing the loop on the return movement of the needle below the crossing point and between the lateral ends of the cord.

4. A method of mechanically tying a sausage casing or the like according to claim 3 wherein the first pair of anchoring means is displaced to a position between the second pair of anchoring means in such a way that the loop overlaps the crossing point of the cord ends.

5. A method of mechanically tying a sausage casing or the like according to claim 3 wherein the closed loop anchoring means after having pulled the closed loop over i the crossing point of the free ends of the cord raises the of the tongue of the needle.

6. A method of mechanically tying a sausage casing or the like according to claim 3 wherein the pairs of anchoring means in their operating rhythm alternately in either direction around the cord receiving ends of the pairs by more than a full circle.

FOREIGN PATENTS 518,606 3/1940 Great Britain.

5 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Examiner. 

1. PROCESS FOR THE MECHANICAL TYING OF SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE, CHARACTERISED IN THAT, AFTER INITIALLY FORMING, WITH THE CORRESPONDING TYING SECTION SUPPLIED BY THE FEED MEANS, A LOOP WHICH DOUBLES THE SAID TYING SECTION ON ITSELF, WITH SUPERPOSITION CROSS-WISE OF THE ENDS OF ITS PARALLEL STRANDS, THE PORTION OF THE SAUSAGE TO BE CONSTRICTED IS SURROUNDED BY THE SAID LOOP AND THE TWO ENDS THEREOF ARE CAUSED TO APPROACH EACH OTHER, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE DOUBLED END, PASSING THROUGH THE OUTER VERTEX OF THE INTERSECTION OF THE STRANDS, SURROUNDS THE CENTRE OF THE LATTER AND THEN PASSES THROUGH THE CENTRE OF THE INNER VERTEX AND THROUGH THE LATERAL STRANDS OF THE LOOP, SO THAT WHEN THE SAID DOUBLED END OF THE LOOP IS DRAWN IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE KNOT BEING FORMED, THE LATTER IS TIGHTENED, GRADUALLY AND GENTLY CONSTRICTING THE PORTION OF THE SAUSAGE SURROUNDED, THE KNOT ALSO REMAINING SECURED WHEN THE ENDS OF THE TYING MEANS ARE CUT. 